Content note: Public health sheet naming prostitution as the cause of venereal disease, with a woman drawn with green-tinted skin. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Prostitution spreads syphilis and gonorrhea
Public health poster: a small woman in a light dress and hat, with green-tinted skin, stands in a red glow against a dark purple ground, her shadow stretching out beside her. The headline names prostitution as the cause of two diseases; the sickly colouring and isolating glow carry the fear-appeal. The sheet puts the cause on the woman alone.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1944
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Federal Security Agency, U.S. Public Health Service (artist Karsakov)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Health, Home front
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
Federal Security Agency, U.S. Public Health Service. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1587 (NAID 515252).
Text on the object
Prostitution spreads Syphilis and Gonorrhea [signature: KARSAKOV] [imprint: U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1944-O-577242] Federal Security Agency U. S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE VD 16
